Electric-arc lamp.



No. 704,526. Patented July l5, I902.

I H. ETHERIUGE.

ELECTRIC ARC LAMP.

{Application filed Dec. 30, 1901.)

(No Model.)

FIG-.I.

FIG-.V.

WITNESSES: INVENTOR &M BY Fu'u 'I'TORNEY xs PETERS co. PHOYG-LYTNO WASNINGTON, u. L.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY ETHERIDGE, OF MOKEESPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC-ARC LAM P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 704,526, dated July 15, 1902.

Application filed December 30, 1901. Serial No. 87,703. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, HARRY ETHERIDGE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mo- Keesport, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Arc-Lamps, of which improvement the following is a specification.

In the wellknown form of clutch-lamps it is the practice to grip, feed, and generally operate the carbon by applying friction to the smooth surface of the carbon or the carbonholding rod or tube through the medium of its attending clutch. This principle has many attending troubles, such as edges wearing off the clutch by constant grinding against the hard surface of the carbon and failure to hold the same, liability of the carbon to slip through the clutch by jarring the lamp or its supporting means, andin alternating-current systems in particularthe vibration of the core and clutching mechanism very frequently causes the carbon to slide through the clutch and cause the lamp to be extinguished until the current has been switched off by the operator or inspector and the clutch again placed in a position to operate the carbon.

The object of my invention is to provide means adapted to codperate with the usual feed-controlling mechanism that will at all times insure a positive grip and feed the carbon only as the potential at the arc directs.

In the accompanying drawingsIhave illustrated means by which my object maybe attained, in which drawings- Figure I is a vertical side view of a portion of a lamp having improvements in the carbon and grip therefor. Fig. II is an enlarged side View of a portion of the carbon and its grip, with the latter partly in section, showing one of its operative positions. Fig. III is another enlarged side view of the same carbon and grip, the latter in section, showing another operative position. Fig. IV is a plan View of the same corresponding with the position shown at Fig. II. Fig. V is a side view showing an application of the same principles to a carbon-holding rod or tube.

Further referring to said drawings for a detailed description of said views, the numeral 1 represents parts of a lamp-frame; 2, the inner globe thereof; 3, the lower carbon; 4, a gas check or seal; 5, the grip-releasing plate, and (3 the rocking lever, controlled by magnets in the usual way.

In this class of lamp I dispense with the usual form of, upper carbon and grip therefor and substitute those of my invention, which consist of a carbon 7, having upon one side a series of equally-spaced parallel transverse grooves 8. These grooves may be of other shapes than that shown; but I prefer that they be of concave form and'of such distance between centers and width as will maintain the true circular cross-section of the carbon at thefrises or ridges 9, so as to prevent leakage of gases between the surface of the carbon and gas-check, and of sufficient depth, first, to insure a seat for the gripjaws, and, second, to allow the carbon to become disengaged from the jaws when released from the pressure of lever 13. The gripping device employed with this form of carbon consists of a sleeve 10, having two parallel jaws formed of transversebars 11 extending through its rear side, which bars are of such distance between centers as will cause one of them under all conditions to enter a transverse groove and the other ride or bear upon a ridge of the carbon. This sleeve is provided at its opposite side with an opening extending about half-way down, at the sides of which are formed lugs 12. Between these lugs is pivoted a lever 13, having a smoothfaced jaw 14 to engage the'carbon, which leveris pivotally connected at its opposite end to a rod 15, carried by the rocker 6. In the operation of a lamp equipped with this improved carbon and grip the sleeve-jaws 11 become alternately engaged with the transverse grooves and ridges, as shown by Figs. II and III, when reclutching takes place. This alternate engagement is due to the relative difference between the centers, of the jaws and that of the carbon-grooves, causing the jaw nearest the entrance of a groove when released by the descent of the lever 13 to slip into the same and the other bear upon a ridge, in which position they are held by the said lever until reclutching'againoccurs. This alternate or rocking back and-forth movement of the clutch member during reclutching occurs with perfect regularity and in harmony with the consumption of carbon and eliminates all of the troubles previously mentioned. The jaw of the clutch-lever 13 is not intended, as heretofore, to cut into the carbon-surface to effect a grip, as its only function is to force and keep the carbon in operative engagement with the sleeve-jaws and release the same at the proper time.

At Fig. V, I have shown a slight departure from the carbon heretofore mentioned, consisting of a tube or red 15, adapted to engage a carbon 16, said tube being provided with a toothed rib 17 to cooperate with a clutch mechanism 18 and 19 of the same character as in the other case, excepting that a leafspring 20 is attached to the jaw of the member 19, so as to exert a yielding pressure upon the carbon during the process of operation and feeding. Practically the same results are attained in this structure as is obtained in the form of lamp previously mentioned.

It is apparent that the particular form of grooves and rises on the carbon or rod is not essential to its practical operation, as the carbon or red may be provided with indentations, &c., of other forms capable of acting as clutch-engaging spaces. Furthermore, it is apparent that the clutch may also be Varied in structure or the jaws 11 may be carried by the clutchlever instead of the sleeve to act upon the carbon or carbon-rod spaces and rises therebetween, or the spring-jawed lever 19 may be employed to grip the carbon instead of lever 13. As such variations would be nothing more than equivalents of that shown, I deem them within the limits of my invention.

Having thus fully shown and described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an arc-lamp, the carbon or the carbonholding rod or tube having spaces thereon, and a clutch oscillatably engaging, releasing, and reengaging therewith in and between said spaces.

2. In an arc-lamp, the carbon or the carbonholding rod, or tube having spaces thereon, and a clutch oscillatably engaging, releasing, and rengaging therewith and at points in and between said spaces.

3. In an arc-lamp, the carbon or the carbonholdingrod, or tube having equidistant spaces thereon, and an oscillating clutch having jaws engaging, releasing, and reengaging therewith in and between said spaces.

1-. In an arc-lamp, the carbon or the carbonholding rod,or tube having equidistant spaces thereon, and an oscillating clutch havingjaws engaging, releasing, and reengaging therewith and alternately in and between said spaces.

5. In an arc-]amp, the carbon or the carbonholding rod,ortubehaving spaces thereon,and an oscillating double-jawed clutch engaging, releasing and reengaging therewith and with said jaws alternately at points in and between said spaces.

0. In an arc-lamp, the carbon or the carbonholding rod, or tube having spaces thereon, an

oscillating clutch engaging therewith in and between said spaces, a movable member to re tain the same in its engaged position, and a trip to release said clutch and member.

7. In an arc-lamp,the carbon or carbon-holding rod, or tube having spaces thereon, an oscillatable double-j awed clutch engaging therewith in and between said spaces in alternate manner,a movable member to retain the same in its engaged position, and a trip to release said clutch and member.

8. In an arc-lamp the carbon,or carbon-holding rod, or tube having spaces thereon, an oscillatable double-j awed clutch engaging there with in and between said spaces in alternate manner, a member pivoted to said clutch to engage said spaced member and retain the clutch-jaws in their operative position, and a trip to release said clutch and member.

9. In an arc-lamp,the carbon or carbon-holding rod, or tube having spaces thereon, an oscillatable double-j awed clutch engaging therewith in and between said spaces in alternate manner, a member pivoted to said clutch at a point midway between said jaws to engage said spaced members and retain the clutchjaws in their operative position, and a trip to release said clutch and member.

10. In an arc-lamp, the carbon or carbonholding rod, or tube having spaces thereon, an oscillatable double-jawed clutch engaging therewith in and between said spaces in alternate manner, a jawed member pivoted to said clutch engaging the spaced member at a point opposite one of said clutch-jaws, retaining said clutch-jaws in operative position, and a trip to release said clutch and member.

11. In an arc-lamp, the carbon or carbonholding rod, or tube having spaces thereon, an oscillatable clutch having iixed double jaws non-registerable with said spaces engaging said member each time in and between said spaces in alternate manner,a jawed member pivoted to said clutch engaging said spaced member at a point opposite one of said clutch-jaws, retaining said clutch-jaws in operative position, and a trip to release said clutch and member.

12. I11 an are-lamp, the carbon or carbonholding rod, or tube having spaces thereon, an oscillatable clutch having fixed double jaws non-registerable with said spaces engaging said member each time in and between said spaces in alternate manner, a jawed member pivoted to said clutch opposite the jaws and engaging said spaced member opposite one of said clutch-jaws, retaining said clutchjaws in their operative position, and a trip to engage said clutch and release the same and said member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY ETHERIDGE.

In presence of- CHARLES H. WALSH, ARTHUR R. MAY. 

